Hand-Engraved Brass Chinese Fú Tray, 34" Round Extra Large

Details

Description

At nearly three feet across, this hand-hammered and hand-engraved brass tray has the scale of architectural wall décor with the … Read more At nearly three feet across, this hand-hammered and hand-engraved brass tray has the scale of architectural wall décor with the fine surface detail of a much smaller piece. The design unfolds in concentric registers of dense geometric borders that give way to roundels of a phoenix, dragon, and flowering botanicals, all converging on a central medallion bearing the Chinese character 福 (fú), meaning fortune, blessing, prosperity, and happiness. Every mark was worked by hand; no two passages of the tooling repeat exactly.
The brass carries a warm, naturally developed patina with deep golds and browns that shift with the light, with small areas of verdigris that reveal its honest age. A "Made in Hong Kong" stamp on the reverse places this piece within the mid-20th century Chinese export brassware tradition that produced some of the finest hand-worked decorative metal of its era.

At this size, the tray can be sculpture or tableware. Mount it as a dramatic wall piece, lean it on a mantel or console, or set it atop a custom base as a striking coffee table centerpiece. It'll be a show stopper no matter what!

Dimensions: 34" diameter, 1.5" height
Period: Mid-20th century
Condition: Good vintage condition — original, unpolished patina; light surface tarnish and small areas of verdigris, consistent with age and hand craftsmanship. See less